MAY BCP NEWS
When we started this project, we knew that cellists were a special type of people, but it is always heartwarming to discover that there are even more cellists in Colorado than we could have ever imagined! We are now approaching our one year cello play-in anniversary in May, and have over 80 cellists participating in the project.
Who knew there would be this many cellists wanting to play together?
Simply amazing
!!!
We had a BUSY April with a 2-Day Amateur Workshop, Benefit Concert and exciting monthly play-in with Dr. Marcelo Sanches! See details below.
We have a new music sponsor!
OpusCello is the sheet music publishing company of Blaise Déjardin, a cellist in the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Cello Quartet.
OpusCello publishes exclusively sheet music for cello ensemble, from cello duets and cello quartets up to 12 cellos and is the only place
you can download sheet music from the Boston Cello Quartet.
The sheet music is available as an instant PDF file download. The website also features cello interviews, with some of the major cellists of our time.
Visit Blaise's website at:
www.opuscello.com
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A word from Blaise Déjardin:
"I strongly believe in cellists playing together. I have been involved with several cello ensembles throughout my career and have always enjoyed it immensely. It is a treat today for me to be a member of the Boston Cello Quartet. That new partnership revived my taste for writing arrangements for cello ensembles and I wanted to share them with as many cellists as possible."
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Please welcome our new moderators:
The Boulder Cello Project is ecstatic about collaborating with talented cello teachers from across the Front Range and national composers! To learn more about them visit our
Play-in Moderator
page. Becky will be moderating our June play-in and Marcelo will be moderating our July & August play-in!
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DR. MARCELO SANCHES
(Boulder, CO)
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BECKY KUTZ OSTERBERG
(Fort Collins, CO)
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Past Events
An exciting April Play-in!
Dr. Marcelo Sanches joined the BCP Team last month, and moderated our April play-in. Not only did he moderate the play-in, but arranged some music for us to play as well! Below are two of the three arrangements that he created for us. A very enthusiastic and fun moderator, if you missed this play-in, he'll be back in July!
Yellow Cello Music
Our wonderful music sponsor Sheryl Smith has provided another new mixed level arrangement for the project called
By The Light of the Silvery Moon.
A milestone for Yellow Cello Music: 100 pieces are now available at the MusicaNeo pdf website, including a new, free technique sheet:
4-4 shifting exercise for pinky training
.
Spring Offer!
From now through June 15th, go to the Yellow Cello Music site (
www.yellowcellomusic.com
), and you can purchase an arrangement of By the Light of the Silvery Moon for just $1.50 (over 50% off!).
There are two arrangements of this song: one for intermediate cello quartet, and the other for mixed-level cello ensemble (the one we played for our play-in!). A note for the brave: you can sing the cello 1 part!
Thank you Voice of the Wood (VOW) Cello Quartet!
Thank you VOW for the beautiful benefit concert! We had a great time and enjoyed the wonderful music you played!
Thank you Cello Pads!
From across the "pond" Cello Pads (from the UK!) sponsored our benefit concert, and graciously agreed to provide a Cello Pad as a raffle item for our benefit concert.
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Featured in Strad Magazine, Cello Pads are made from soft premium nappa leather sourced from Italy. The backing is made of a uniform satin fabric and is hand-made to order. The value of this item is over $95.00!
The lucky recipient of the raffle prize was (drum roll please...):
Susan C.
of Denver, Colorado!
For more information on Cello Pads, please visit their website at:
http://www.cellopads.com
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2-Day Amateur Workshop
We had a last minute location change, but the new venue had a great view overlooking the mountains and Boulder!
This program has been made possible through the generosity of:
ACMP - The Chamber Music Network
, and we also want to thank our participants and our wonderful cello instructors Dr. Clayton Vaughn and Psyche Dunkhase!
Upcoming Events
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May Play-in Moderator:
Stephen Weidner is a retired Adjunct Professor, Director of Strings and Conductor at Colorado School of Mines. He teaches privately at his studios in Evergreen and Aurora and is a cellist with the Evergreen Chamber Orchestra.
Stephen is also a member of the
Voice of the Wood Cello Quartet,
which was founded in 2003. Originally comprised of the cello section from the Evergreen Chamber Orchestra in Evergreen Colorado, the cellists got together to rehearse and perform, locally, ‘Voice of the Wood – Concerto for 4 Cellos and Orchestra’ by composer Russell Peck. They enjoyed playing together so much they decided to make the commitment and perform as a group as much as possible.
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Rock Band Playin Moderator:
Psyche Dunkhase
is a dynamic, dedicated and accomplished cellist and cello teacher. With over ten years of experience performing and teaching, Ms. Dunkhase is committed to providing unique musical experiences that inspire creativity, nurture self-expression and spark imagination. She is a registered Suzuki Cello Teacher, and an active member of both the local and national Suzuki communities and maintains a large popular cello studio (with a long waiting list!). She also teaches group classes as a faculty member of Boulder Suzuki Strings. Psyche holds a Master of Music in cello performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she studied with Judith Glyde.
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A Chase the Music & Cello Expressions & Boulder Cello Project Collaboration!
We are excited to collaborate with
Chase the Music
&
Cello Expressions
to create a special concert for C*!
C* is a wonderful kid who loves Disney music from the Little Mermaid, Pinocchio, and Toy Story.
Chase the Music is a non-profit organization formed to facilitate the composition, performance and distribution of original music for critically ill children, or children who have been nominated and selected by the collaborating organizations.
Music is a source of emotional strength for children, helping them cope with their illnesses and often contributing to improved physical well-being. If you know of a deserving child we should compose and perform music for, please contact us.
For more information regarding this concert,
please visit the website here
.
Whatever inspires you, drink from it often and cherish it always! We hope our updates and improvements to the project will help spread and further deepen you love of cello playing!
As always, we welcome your suggestions and feedback, and look forward to playing with you!
Happy bowing,
~The BCP Team
News & Upcoming Events
Annual Membership Fee Deadline
Current members will have until March 31st to decide whether they would like to continue to participate in the project. On April 1st, passwords will be updated and new passwords will be sent to current members only - so don't forget to pay your membership fee!
Our goal is to have the project accessible to as many players as possible, and to have all of our current participants to continue their membership. Therefore, members will be able to select the fee amount they would like to pay of between $1.50 - $34.50
. For more information, please visit our page at
Annual Membership Fee
.
A fun February play-in with
Hodge Podge Photography
As usual we had a great time with Psyche Dunkhase moderating the play-in with 20 cellists playing at one time!
Concert Collaboration with
Chase the Music
Chase the Music
is a non-profit organization formed to facilitate the composition, performance and distribution of original music for critically ill children.
Music is a source of emotional strength for children, helping them cope with their illnesses and often contributing to improved physical well-being. If you know of a deserving child we should compose and perform music for, please
contact us
.
A concert collaboration with
Chase the Music
, our resident composer Nick Halsey with
Cello Expressions
and the Boulder Cello Project is in the works!
We are still in the planning stages, but we will release more information in the next few weeks as we firm up details, and will post a Meetup event page for cellists who are interested in participating. Stay tuned!
Please welcome our new moderator: Stephen Weidner!
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We are pleased to announced Stephen Weidner will be joining the BCP Team! Stephen is a retired Adjunct Professor, Director of Strings and Conductor at Colorado School of Mines. He teaches privately at his studios in Evergreen and Aurora and is a cellist with the Evergreen Chamber Orchestra.
Stephen is also a member of the
Voice of the Wood Cello Quartet,
which was founded in 2003. Originally comprised of the cello section from the Evergreen Chamber Orchestra in Evergreen Colorado, the cellists got together to rehearse and perform, locally, ‘Voice of the Wood – Concerto for 4 Cellos and Orchestra’ by composer Russell Peck. They enjoyed playing together so much they decided to make the commitment and perform as a group as much as possible.
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Rock Band Play-in with Psyche Dunkhase
As usual our cellists rocked out to some fun eclectic mix of music. Thank you Vicki for sharing your music with us! Our members were then treated to free massages by
Healing Spirits Massage
!
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Thank you Bill & Abram for helping to set this up!
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Yes - cellos need massages too! ;)
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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Play-in: March 27th @ 7pm
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March Moderator
-
Dr. Vaughn
is an enthusiastic and caring cello teacher who is passionate about sharing his love of cello and music with others. As an active teacher he is a sectionals coach for a local middle school and high school in Boulder, and is a string faculty member of the Parlando School for the Arts. Dr. Vaughn is the principal cellist for the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, and a member of the Colorado Ballet Orchestra, Greeley Philharmonic and the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra. Recently, Dr. Vaughn completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA) in cello performance at the University of Colorado Boulder, and studied with both Judith Glyde and András Fejér of the award winning Takács Quartet.
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Don't miss Clayton's upcoming concert!
Louisville Cultural Council presents a 20th century musical journey around the world, featuring pianist Eneida Larti and cellist Clayton Vaughn. This wide-ranging program will present works from some of the most significant composers of the 20th century who achieved compositional innovation, yet created beautiful and accessible music that is admired by all audiences. From the raw sounds of Shostakovich and the achingly beautiful harmonies of Bridge to the spirited sounds of Falla and the lyricism of Villa-Lobos, this program will take you on a whirlwind tour around the world in 60 minutes.
Program:
Frank Bridge - Cello Sonata in D minor,Allegro ben moderato
Dmitri Shostakovich - Cello Sonata in D minor, Op. 40, Allegro non troppo
Dmitri Shostakovich - Cello Sonata in D minor, Op. 40, Allegro
Heitor Villa-Lobos - Song of the Black Swan
Samuel Barber - Cello Sonata in C minor, Op. 6, Adagio
Manuel de Falla - Ritual Fire Dance, arr. Cello & Piano
Voice of the Wood Cello Quartet Benefit Concert
We are excited to announce that we have confirmed the wonderful members of
Voice of the Wood
will be performing a benefit concert for the Boulder Cello Project to raise funds for operating expenses to develop more programs, play-ins, concerts and workshops for 2013. We hope you can join us in enjoying a wonderful cello quartet and to support our project.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Doors open: 6:30pm
Program starts: 7:00pm
Program:
Notturno Op.43 No.1 - Georg Goltermann
Cortege - Theodore Holland (originally written for cello quartet )
The Glory of Love - Billy Hill
My Blue Heaven - Walter Donaldson
Loneome Dove - arr. By Mike Marecak
La Cumparsita - G. Ridriguez
Last Dream Of The Vigin - J. Massenet
Tanquedia - Astor Piazzolla
Godi Por Del Sen Felice - C. Montiverdi
Fair Phyllis, I Saw Sitting all alone - John Farmer
Andante Cantabile - Julius Klengel
Ashokan Farewell - arr. Stephen Weidner
Theme and Variations - Michael Marecak
Chorale - Bach
Whatever inspires you, drink from it often and cherish it always! We hope our updates and improvements to the project will help spread and further deepen you love of cello playing!
As always, we welcome your suggestions and feedback, and look forward to playing with you!
Happy bowing,
~The BCP Team
CURRENT NEWS
It's official!
We are happy to announce that we have become an entity the
Boulder Cello Project, LLC
,
and will be partnering with the
Boulder County Arts Alliance (BCAA)
as our Fiscal Sponsor. BCAA is an organization that provides leadership and resources for arts organizations, artists, educators, and the community of Boulder County.
Signup to receive our Newsletter via email
Tired of checking our website for the latest news? ...although we appreciate that you do!! ;)
Sign up to receive our monthly Newsletter via email by selecting the orange subscribe button on the left. The email Newsletter will also provide an "inside look" on current events and events that are "in the works," which will not be posted online.
MUSICAL NOTES
Cello Expressions
Nick Halsey
has been busy creating arrangements for the project specifically designed for mixed level ensembles. Don't forget to submit feedback regarding arrangements that we've played to help us improve our collaboration, so we may continue to provide enjoyable music that best fits our needs and to continually expand our cello library with fun beautiful pieces.
All pieces arranged by Nick are listed on our feedback form, which is updated after each play-in to include new pieces. The form can be accessed by selecting the button below:
The first time our project has played an original composition created by our Resident Composer, Nick Halsey, called
March
(video below). Based on our feedback, Nick has tweaked the piece and we will be playing the new version for February's play-in! It's going to be beautiful - can't wait!!! :)
Yellow Cello Music's "Winter Free Offer"
From now through February 15th, go to the
Yellow Cello Music PDF
site to download a free cello trio piece. Thank you Sheryl! The arrangement is located under the collection of intermediate cello trios in the new print publication “Cellos A Trois." Or, select
this link
to be directed to the page.
UPCOMING EVENTS
FEBRUARY 2013
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February Play-in Moderator
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Psyche Dunkhase
is a dynamic, dedicated and accomplished cellist and cello teacher. With over ten years of experience performing and teaching, Ms. Dunkhase is committed to providing unique musical experiences that inspire creativity, nurture self-expression and spark imagination. She is a registered Suzuki Cello Teacher, and an active member of both the local and national Suzuki communities and maintains a large popular cello studio (with a long waiting list!). She also teaches group classes as a faculty member of Boulder Suzuki Strings. Psyche holds a Master of Music in cello performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she studied with Judith Glyde.
Play-in Date: Saturday, February 23rd
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MARCH 2013
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March Play-in Moderator
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Dr. Vaughn
is an enthusiastic and caring cello teacher who is passionate about sharing his love of cello and music with others. As an active teacher he is a sectionals coach for a local middle school and high school in Boulder, and is a string faculty member of the Parlando School for the Arts. Dr. Vaughn is the principal cellist for the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, and a member of the Colorado Ballet Orchestra, Greeley Philharmonic and the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra. Recently, Dr. Vaughn completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA) in cello performance at the University of Colorado Boulder, and studied with both Judith Glyde and András Fejér of the award winning Takács Quartet.
Play-in: TO BE ANNOUNCED
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2 Day Amateur Ensemble Workshop
(Saturday, March 9, 2013 - Sunday, March 10, 2013)
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We are excited to offer this workshop to our members! We are limiting the participant numbers to two cello quartets (or quintets) so instructors can work closely with each ensemble member and group.
This mini-workshop will provide ensemble tools to work effectively with other cellists (and players). Learn in a relaxed, non-competitive and supportive environment with like-minded adult cellists.
Ready to take your ensemble playing to the next level? Participants will be grouped with similar abilities, and repertoire will be provided based on the group's level. Pre-formed ensembles will not be accepted. We will select music to push each member out of their comfort zone - don't worry, nothing you can't handle! ;)
Participants will be provided 2 pieces of music to play with your group and one piece to play as a large ensemble.
Practice time with (and without) a chamber coach to utilize the "ensemble tools" will be provided. Participants will also have the option to do an additional performance before (or after) our monthly play-in session in March or April. No audition required.
If you've never played in a cello quartet or quintet before, than this is your chance to experience it!
Limited space available! Two groups only.
Instructors: Dr. Clayton Vaughn & Psyche Dunkhase
Cost: $75, includes lunch and coached and open practice time
Dates: March 9th - March 10th
For more information, and to register please select this link here:
REGISTER HERE
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APRIL 2013
SAVE THE DATE:
Voice of the Wood Cello Quartet Benefit Concert
We are excited to announce that we have confirmed the wonderful members of
Voice of the Wood
will be performing a benefit concert for the Boulder Cello Project to raise funds for operating expenses to develop more programs, play-ins, concerts and workshops for 2013. We hope you can join us in enjoying a wonderful cello quartet and to support our project.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Doors open: 6:30pm
Time: 7:00pm
Venue: TBD
The cello is known for its rich tone, and as the instrument being the closet to the human voice. Get ready to hear the cello's beauty in a wonderous evening of music from Bach to Piazzola featuring the expressive music of the cello. This concert promises to be an entertaining and delightful evening of music!
Whatever inspires you, drink from it often and cherish it always! We hope our updates and improvements to the project will help spread and further deepen you love of cello playing!
As always, we welcome your suggestions and feedback, and look forward to playing with you!
Happy bowing,
~The BCP Team
News & Events
CURRENT NEWS
2012 Year in Review
Since our inception at the end of April, the Boulder Cello Project has provided 7 meetups, 1 Jazz Improvisation Workshop, 1 Beginner Ensemble Workshop, 1 "Rock Band" play-in, 6 holiday rehearsals, and 2 holiday performances for two retirement communities!
Whew!!
What does this mean? We have some fabulously dedicated cellists from across the Front Range who love to play the cello and share their love of music with others!
What's not to love?
:)
We love our enthusiastic members!
During our November play-in we showed our thanks by doing a fun raffle and giveaway.
Our "Highest Attendance" give-away prize of
BCP hoodies
was a tie between Abram (left) and Anna (right) who attended a total of 11 events which included play-ins, rehearsals, and/or workshops!
Our first BCP donor, Susan (center), received a one-of-a-kind BCP track jacket!
Three New Arrangements by Nick Halsey
We have some more great pieces arranged specifically for our group by our resident composer Nick Halsey (
www.CelloExpressions.com
) for our January playin. We thought a new year deserved more than just one new piece! Nick has arranged two new pieces:
Bach's Chorale 43, Ermuntre Dich mein Schwacher Geist
and
Strauss' Auld Lang Syne
, and a new composition created by Nick called
March
.
UPCOMING EVENTS
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January Playin Moderator
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Dr. Clayton Vaughn
is an enthusiastic, caring cello teacher who is passionate about sharing his love of cello and music with others. As an active teacher he is a sectionals coach for a local middle school and high school in Boulder, a string faculty member of the Parlando School for the Arts and has an active cello studio in Boulder. He was also a cello Teaching Assistant for Judith Glyde from Fall 2009 to Spring 2012. Clayton is an avid orchestral musician and is the principal cellist for the
Boulder Chamber Orchestra
, and a member of the
Greeley Philharmonic
and the
Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra
. Clayton received his Doctorate of Musical Arts (DMA) in cello performance at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2012, and studied with both Judith Glyde and András Fejér of the award winning Takács Quartet. For more information visit his website at:
www.ClaytonVaughn.com
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Rock Band Playin Moderator
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Psyche Dunkhase
is a dynamic, dedicated and accomplished cellist and cello teacher. With over ten years of experience performing and teaching, Ms. Dunkhase is committed to providing unique musical experiences that inspire creativity, nurture self-expression and spark imagination. She is a registered Suzuki Cello Teacher, and an active member of both the local and national Suzuki communities and maintains a large popular cello studio (with a long waiting list!). She also teaches group classes as a faculty member of Boulder Suzuki Strings. Psyche holds a Master of Music in cello performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she studied with Judith Glyde.
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SAVE THE DATE:
Voice of the Wood Cello Quartet Benefit Concert
- We are excited to announce that we have confirmed the wonderful members of Voice of the Wood will be performing a benefit concert for the Boulder Cello Project to raise funds for operating expenses and to develop more programs, play-ins, concerts and workshops for 2013. We hope you can join us in enjoying a wonderful cello quartet and to support our project.
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Saturday, April 13, 2013
Doors open: 6:30pm
Time: 7:00pm
Venue: TBD
The cello is known for its rich tone - and as the instrument being the closet to the human voice... Get ready to hear the cello's beauty in a wonderous evening of music from Bach to Piazzola featuring the expressive music of the cello. This concert promises to be an entertaining and delightful evening of music!
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Here's to another great year of cello-playing, sharing music with friends, and learning and growing as musicians!
Happy bowing,
~
The BCP Team
Thank you to all the members who participated in our holiday recitals. Performing for the two retirement communities was such a great experience!
Participating cellists include beginners who have never played in a concert before, to cellists who have played a little longer than a year. Performers also include cellists who studied the cello when they were younger and are returning to the cello after a long hiatus, and even cellists who play regularly in orchestras. All levels and abilities are welcome to participate in our holiday performances.
For those who missed attending our performances, check out our last performance at the Academy Retirement Community:
The Academy Retirement Community
(partial program)
Music starts at 1:40
Staying connected with fellow cellists is one of the most rewarding parts of being part of a musical community. News updates help members learn about upcoming gatherings, recent performances, and shared milestones that reflect the spirit of the group. Whether someone is new to the cello or returning after many years, following the latest announcements makes it easier to find opportunities to play, listen, and grow alongside others who share a genuine love for the instrument. Regular communication strengthens the bonds between amateur and experienced cellists alike, creating a welcoming space where musical curiosity can flourish and where everyone feels encouraged to participate in the ongoing journey of cello playing together. Community performances offer a wonderful chance for cellists of every level to share their progress in a supportive environment. From beginners who have never played in a concert before to seasoned players who perform regularly in ensembles, each contribution adds something unique to the shared experience. Holiday recitals, informal meetups, and special events bring together musicians from the surrounding area, fostering friendships and musical growth. These gatherings remind participants that the joy of cello playing extends beyond solitary practice, inviting collaboration, encouragement, and the simple pleasure of making music together with friends, neighbors, and fellow enthusiasts who appreciate the art of the cello. Workshops and social events provide valuable opportunities for cellists to deepen their skills while building lasting connections with others who share their passion. Group sessions often cover technique, musicality, and the exploration of different genres, allowing players to broaden their artistic range in a friendly setting. Arrangers and composers sometimes contribute fresh pieces tailored to the ensemble, offering members the chance to try new repertoire and challenge themselves in enjoyable ways. Such gatherings also serve as a relaxed space to exchange ideas, ask questions, and celebrate the unique character of each musician, reinforcing the idea that learning and playing the cello can be both a personal and collective adventure. Being part of a cello community also means celebrating the diversity of backgrounds, experience levels, and musical interests that each member brings. From those returning to the instrument after a long hiatus to players preparing for auditions or simply enjoying casual ensemble work, the group thrives on mutual respect and encouragement. Sponsors, partners, and friends often help sustain activities, while moderators and volunteers keep things running smoothly behind the scenes. By sharing sheet music, video recordings, and photo memories, members create a living archive of their collective journey, reminding everyone that the love of cello is something worth nurturing, sharing, and passing along to future generations of curious musicians.
Join us for our inaugural holiday recitals!
Join the Boulder Cello Project as we perform for the
Golden West Retirement Community
and
The Academy Retirement Community
. Help us spread the holiday spirit and love of music! Listen and sing along to a selection of your favorite holiday tunes.
Everyone is welcome, and the recitals are free for all! We look forward to sharing our love of cello playing and music with the community!
Happy Holidays,
~The BCP Team
Golden West Retirement Community Holiday Program:
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